Electric switch



Aug. 8, 1939. 1 SACHS 2,168,540

ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed April 13, 1937 'Illllld lll'lllllll'III'IIIII'II'III'II'II d 05.527 5 s q 1/. HJZ

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH necticut Original application April 13, 1937, Serial No. 136,629. Divided and this application January 4, 1938, Serial No. 183,331

4 Claims.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a fused switch assembly including cartridge fuses in which the switch elements and fuses are so positioned and related that, when mounted in the casing, a minimum of space is occupied by the switch and fuses in order that in a given size of casing a maximum amount of wiring space will remain.

From the following specification other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This application is a division of my co-pending' application, Serial Number 136,629, filed April 13, 1937.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown one embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that the drawing is intended for illustrative purposes only and is :not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention,

20 the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a switch embodying the principles of the invention, a portion of the casing being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the-line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the outline of the fuses being shown in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, certain portions being broken away to more clearly show the construction.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1 with the cover omitted and certain parts indicated in another position in dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the switch itself taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1, with the switching parts in the on position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the switching parts in the off position.

In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, any desired form of switch per se may be used, however, for the purposes of this specification, I have illustrated the form of switch which I now consider preferable.

The assembly includes a box portion 5| having knockouts 52, and a cover 53 which is preferably hinged to the box at 54. Mounted within the box is a base 55 of insulating material. The rear face of the base is grooved at 56 and positioned at the opposite sides of this groove are switch contacts 51' and 58. The contacts 51 include angularly related portions 59 through which bolts 50 extend. The bolts 60 in conjunction with the nuts thereon serve to secure the contacts 51 to the base, and also function as line circuit connectors. The contacts 58 preferably include angular portions 6| to which may be secured clips 62 adapted to hold cartridge type fuses such as shown at 63. The central portion of the contacts 58 may have screw threaded apertures therein with which screws 64 may engage for securing the contacts and associated clips to the base. Fuse clips 65 are secured to the base and electrically connected to load circuit connectors 66 by conductors 61. The fuse clips 62 and 65 are so mounted on the base that they project from one edge surface thereof so as to receive fuses with their axes extending perpendicularly to the back of the casing with the line side contact ends thereof positioned adjacent the back of the casing.

A rectilinearly movable switching member is provided which comprises a member 68 of insulating material cam g electrical conductors 59 for connecting the switch contacts 51 and 58 to complete circuits therethrough. An operating member Ill having pivots 'Il thereon supported in grooves I2 in the front face of the base serves to reciprocate the switching member. Over center tension springs I3 are provided for causing quick action movement of the operating member ID and for holding the pivots II in the grooves I2. The springs 13 are positioned in slots I4 in the base and their opposite ends are secured to the base and the operating member at I5 and I6 respectively. A solid neutral TI is preferably mounted on the base 55.

Attention is called to the relationship between the plane of movement of the switching and operating members and the positions of the fuse clips, this being such that the fuse clips. are adapted to receive the fuses with their longitudinal axes lying'in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the switching and operating members. As a result of positioning these parts in this manner the vertical dimension of the switch and fuse assembly, as viewed in Fig. 1, is relatively small,

and consequently in a given size of easing a maximum amount of space is left available for wiring.

If desired, a piece of insulating material I8 may be secured to the casing so as to extend over the line connections, the lower edge being positioned under the members I9. The casing cover 53 is preferably slotted to receive the handle portion of the operating member and the end wall of this slot is adapted to move the operating member to its ofi position when the cover is opened.

While I have illustrated this phase of the invention as it may be applied to a; two pole, solid neutral type of switch, it should be understood that the principles thereof may be utilized in switches having a greater or lesser number of poles.

I have shown, and more paricularly in Fig. 4, a cover and switch interlocking means .for preventing movement of the switching member to on position when the cover is open. Pivoted to the side of the casing is a lever 80 having a portion 8| extending angularly therefrom and which projects into a recess 82 in the base. The lever is biased by a spring 83 to a position in which the portion 8| is in the path of movement of the switching member and when in this position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, it serves to block movement of the switching member to on" position, that is, to the left as viewed in Fig. 6. When the cover is closed, the end portion 84 of the I lever is pushed toward the. rear of the casing to cause the portion 8| of the lever to move out of the path of movement of the switching member against the tension of the spring 83.

What I claim is:

1. An electric switch assembly comprising in combination, a casing, a switch mounted in the casing and including a stationary base having an edge surface, and at least one pair of cartridge type fuse clips mounted on the base and projecting from said edge surface so as to receive a fuse with its longitudinal axis extending perpendicularly to the rear of said casing and to electrically connect the fuse in series with said switch, operation-0f said switch serving to open and close the circuit through the fuse.

2. An electric switch assembly comprising in combination, a casing, a switch mounted in the casing, said switch including a stationary base and a switching member movable in a plane perpendicular to the rear of the casing, and at least one pair of cartridge type fuse clips mounted on the base so as to receive a fuse with its longitudinal axis extending perpendicularly to the rear of the casing and to electrically connect the fuse in series with said switch, operation of said switching member serving to open and close the circuit through the fuse.

3. An electric switch assembly comprising in combination, a casing, a switch mounted in the casing, said switch including a stationary base having an edge surface and a switching member movable in a plane perpendicular to the rear of the casing, and at least two pairs of cartridge type fuse clips mounted on the base so as to project from said edge surface so as to receive fuses with their longitudinal axes extending perpendicularly to the rear of the casing and lying in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of movement of the switching member and so as to electrically connect the fuses in series with said switch with their line side contact ends positioned to the rear of their load side contact ends operation of said switching member serving to open and close the circuits through the fuses.

4. An" electric switch assembly comprising in combination, a casing, an insulating base mounted in said casing having a groove in the rear face thereof and an aperture therethrough connecting said groove and the front face of the on the base so as to receive fuses with their longitudinal axes extending perpendicularly to the rear of the casing and lying in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of movement of the switching member and so as to electrically connect the fuses in the switch circuit.

- JOSEPH SACHS. 

